Making its debut this past Memorial Weekend, Mason’s Cellar offers patrons a thoughtful and exciting selection of the finest wines, spirits, and beers in the beautifully restored bank building located at 23 Park Avenue in downtown Rutherford, New Jersey.
The spacious 5,000 square-foot shop will also carry exclusive glassware, gifts, and gourmet food items and will host special events & classes. Owners & Bergen County residents Julio & Michelle Izquierdo have named the store for their son – a playful hint that Mason’s Cellar will reflect its founders’ determination to build a destination for wine & spirits that is inviting, not intimidating, for connoisseur and novice alike, embodying what Michelle terms “our generation’s preference for seeing out artisanal, small-scale producers who create something special.”
Truly a family venture, the Izquierdos have enlisted design-savvy relatives & friends to actualize their vision and transform the 1930s Boiling Springs Savings Bank interior. The bank building fits the owners’ green philosophy, as the building itself is heated by geothermal hot springs below.
The bank’s vault remains the center of the space for displaying rare, high-end wines, spirits, and even beers. Above the vault, a 1,200 square-foot loft space overlooks the main floor, reserved for tasting, mixology classes, product launches, and private events. A chalk board in the gourmet section will feature Park Avenue Pairings: wines or beers for dishes at many of Rutherford’s popular restaurants (to which free delivery is available). Overall, the goal is for the store’s shelves to be accessible, so that price is not a deterrent to tasting something new. The shelves & racks at Mason’s Cellar will include the following hand-selected inventory…
Wines, New World and Old: USA, South America, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa… about 500 small-vineyard wines, with the best of NJ & NY present, as well as gluten-free & Kosher wines, sake, port & dessert varietals, and organic/biodynamic wines.
Beers: Craft beers will dominate the refrigerated cases, including a broad selection of local brews, like Bolero Snort & River Horse, with big bottles, imports, and popular domestics also in stock.
Spirits: Owner Julio is a long-time whiskey & rye aficionado; and he aims to build the deepest selection in the area, with emphasis on small-batch & artisanal bottles. Lovers of rum, vodka, tequila, mescal, brandy, and various liqueurs will always find something new.
As a source for fine glassware, Mason’s Cellar will excel: Riedel has named it a flagship store for the area, and Spiegelau’s line for properly quaffing beer will be stocked. The gourmet aisle will offer gift baskets, fine cheeses, olive oils, cocktail garnishes, and treats from purveyors such as Napa Valley Chocolate Company, Brooklyn Brine, and Filthy Foods. These exclusive offerings, combined with an insightful selection of bottles, and supported by friendly knowledgeable serve by the owners themselves, will make Mason’s Cellar New Jersey’s finest new destination for lovers of fine wine, beers, and spirits.
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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